Folk. Country. Blues. Rock ’n’ roll. Bluegrass. In the 1960s and ’70s, David Bromberg played it all, and in turn, the celebrated musician collaborated with everyone from Beatles to blues legends. The only problem arose when his albums entered the racks at record stores.

David Bromberg (photo: Jim McGuire)

“They never had the vaguest idea where to put me, and frankly, neither did I,” he tells The Tennessean.

Flash-forward to the 21st century, and Bromberg — after laying low for two decades — found himself playing bigger rooms than ever before, with an audience that was completely open to his eclectic style.

“I think that things have loosened up quite a bit,” he says. “For one thing, just having a name for it helps.”

That name is “Americana,” a musical term that was defined by Merriam-Webster two years ago as “a genre of American music having roots in early folk and country music.” But a quick look at the lineup of this year’s Americana Music Festival & Conference — which returns to Nashville this Wednesday through Sunday — show its borders extending to blues, gospel, rock and beyond.

This week, Bromberg and more than 130 acts inspired by those musical traditions will take over nearly a dozen Nashville venues for four nights of concerts, and many will share the stage at Ryman Auditorium for the annual Americana Honors & Awards show on Wednesday night.

The movement

The festival and awards are the brainchild of the Americana Music Association, a local organization with a mission to “advocate for the authentic voice of American Roots Music around the world.”

“We are a community that in many ways is made up of many families,” says the association’s executive director, Jed Hilly, “and they are the families of folk, of bluegrass, of gospel, of traditional country, of the blues. ... It’s that merger of influences that creates this new sound.”

Bonnie Raitt performs “Thing Called Love” with John Hiatt at the Americana Music Awards at the Ryman Auditorium (photo: Steve Harman/The Tennessean)

That sound has made a big splash in the mainstream on occasion, by both musical vets and brand-new acts. Rock legend Robert Plant earned acclaim and awards after teaming with bluegrass star Alison Krauss and a band of roots-rock greats, and Bonnie Raitt, John Mellencamp and Gregg Allman have forged similarly successful paths.

At the same time, brand-new roots-inspired acts have rapidly risen to fame and staggering sales. After being named emerging artist of the year by the association in 2011, British folk-rockers Mumford & Sons’ sophomore album sold more than 2 million copies and was named album of the year at this year’s Grammy Awards. Americana award winners The Civil Wars and Alabama Shakes have platinum and gold albums, respectively, and among this year’s nominees for song of the year is “Ho Hey,” a crossover pop smash by The Lumineers.

The festival

Many more acts are enjoying a more steady ascent.

Shovels and Rope

Ramshackle South Carolina duo Shovels and Rope, featuring Michael Trent and Nashville native Cary Ann Hearst, reached new peaks after releasing 2012 album “O’ Be Joyful,” taking them to stages of “Letterman,” Coachella and “Austin City Limits.” The duo is up for song, album and emerging artist of the year at Wednesday’s awards show, and Trent says they’re equally grateful that the association campaigned to get songs from “Joyful” on the radio, leading to bigger turnouts at concerts.

“It’s not so much the awards that we're excited about, but the fact that there’s somebody out there that’s making it easier for us to do what we want to do with our lives,” Hearst says.

You’d be hard-pressed to find an act on the festival lineup that isn’t frequently on the road, or at least a local stage or studio.

Those who have registered for the conference portion of the week — with music industry-focused panels, keynotes and showcases — will have access to the nightly concerts, but the general public can also purchase a wristband for admission to all four nights of music, or pay for individual concerts at the door, or buy tickets in advance through the venue's websites.

The awards

The hottest ticket of the week is Wednesday’s Honors & Awards show at the Ryman, where more than a dozen acts are set to perform, from Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Famers Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and Dr. John to revered songsmiths Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell and fresh faces Shovels and Rope, Milk Carton Kids and JD McPherson.

Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale; Band Leader and Host on stage at the Ryman Auditorium during the Americana Honors & Awards (photo credit: Erika Goldring)

“To be backstage and see all of these legends through the years, people I just hold in such high regard and whose music has been such a part of my life,” he says, “and then to get to see some of these up-and-coming folks that are so talented, and see what the future is like — it's a very special opportunity for me.”

Last year’s show peaked with an all-star cast (including Bonnie Raitt, Booker T. Jones, Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt and Alabama Shakes frontwoman Brittany Howard) teaming up for a performance of The Band’s “The Weight” in honor of late Band drummer and roots-rock stalwart Levon Helm.

Hilly believes Wednesday’s show will have its own memorable moments but — like the sounds the association celebrates — they’ll be created organically.

“(The show) needs stewards to get it there and we need tickets to be printed, and people to tell people where to be and when they need to be there, but I feel like that show, it’s grown up,” he says. “And it is its own living, inspirational organism.”

The Americana Honors & Awards show takes place at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Ryman Auditorium (116 Fifth Ave. N.). Tickets are $65-$85 and available at Ticketmaster.

Admission is $350 for members of the Americana Music Association and $450 for non-members. Admission includes access to sanctioned daytime conference music, panels and parties, plus priority access to all evening showcase performances and a ticket to the Americana Honors & Awards show. The general public can also purchase wristbands granting access to all nightly showcases for $50, or pay admission for individual showcases at the door.